Luo Teng stared at Ji Ling, full of doubt, still caught between guessing and second-guessing.
Ji Ling figured he was probably running mental calculations, trying to work out just how many people actually knew about the relationship between Luo Tao and Shen Dongqing.
In the end, Luo Teng seemed to reach a conclusion and said, “You people in showbiz really do get your hands on news fast.”
Ji Ling nearly choked on his drink.
Clearly, after all that thinking, Luo Teng had decided Ji Ling was some kind of paparazzi.
Ji Ling knew Luo Teng’s personality like the back of his hand. He was nothing like Luo Tao. Luo Teng always overcomplicated things, never said what he really meant, always going in circles. Talking to him could be exhausting. If he decided to run you around in loops, he’d make sure you got so dizzy you wouldn’t know which way was up—and nothing would get done in the end.
So Ji Ling had dangled just enough to get him curious without giving him the truth, letting Luo Teng try to piece it together himself. If it went on, he’d probably imagine up to the Mariana Trench.
Ji Ling admitted he was being a bit sly. He didn’t want to spell things out. He was hoping Luo Teng would figure it out himself.
And Ji Ling was sure he could—because they’d been friends for so many years.
The relationship between Zong Bolin and Luo Teng went all the way back to their families, starting with Luo Teng’s uncle and Zong Bolin’s father.
Back in the day, Luo Teng’s career had been crushed by his uncle. It was ugly—though the situation was more complicated, at its core, it came down to family infighting.
Luo Teng’s uncle was infamous in the business world—ruthless, cold-blooded, willing to do whatever it took. Luo Teng was nearly taken out completely. No matter where he turned for help, everyone shut their doors, all afraid of his uncle’s power.
At that time, the only person who reached out a hand was Zong Bolin’s father.
Well, calling it a helping hand might be a stretch—it was more like a gambler placing his bet. He liked putting his chips on the underdog, and if he won, the payoff would be huge.
But to Luo Teng, that money was like rain after a drought, like fire in the snow—just what he needed to survive the darkest days.
And it turned out, Zong Bolin’s dad had backed the right horse.
Luo Teng had a ruthless side of his own. He gathered evidence and took his uncle to court. When the authorities launched a financial investigation, Luo Teng slowly started turning things around.
Once Luo Teng took back control of the family business, he gave the Zong family a huge return on their investment—and since he and Zong Bolin were about the same age, the two ended up becoming friends.
At first, Luo Teng treated Zong Bolin like royalty, like the son of the man who had saved his life. But Zong Bolin had told him, “The one who shares your pain is your savior. The one who shares your joy is your drinking buddy. But the one who makes money with you—that’s a real friend. If our Zong family’s gonna make money with you, that means we’re friends.”
That finally helped Luo Teng let his guard down and treat Zong Bolin with honesty.
After Zong Bolin’s father passed away, Zong Bolin took over the family business and kept working with Luo Teng—sticking to his word and making money together.
In business, what else do you use to measure loyalty and friendship besides money? If you can make money together, it means you truly trust each other.
Thinking back on all this, Ji Ling realized the reason he got close to Luo Teng back then was because he trusted his own father’s judgment. If his father thought someone was worth it, there was no way that person would be bad. Luo Teng valued relationships deeply too—no wonder they’d stayed friends all these years.
So, after the accident, Ji Ling didn’t go looking for his little brother first—he went looking for Luo Teng.
But the whole situation was just too strange. There was no way to explain it to anyone, and no way to get close to Luo Teng again. Luckily, Ji Ling was in the entertainment business, which gave him access to Shen Dongqing.
He knew exactly what was going on between Shen Dongqing and Luo Tao. He also knew what kind of person Luo Tao was. That’s how he’d managed to make it this far.
And now, he was finally sitting across from his old friend again.
He looked Luo Teng in the eye and said sincerely, “I know a lot about what’s going on with you all. But I promise—I won’t tell anyone.”
Luo Teng didn’t respond to that. He just changed the subject. “Let’s talk about your company. I know you’ve been working hard, following every lead you can, and your ultimate goal is to get me to invest.” He smiled, and while the smile was warm, his tone was anything but. “But tell me, why should I give you money? If you think a few good words from my brother are enough to get you funding, don’t you think you’re being a little naive?”
Ji Ling smiled too. He didn’t flinch at the accusation, just calmly replied, “You always think I’m using Luo Tao. But don’t you trust your brother’s judgment? I’ve never asked him to say anything specific—I just hoped he’d help make the introduction. That’s all.”
He continued, “I can show you all my financial records. I’m very confident in my company’s growth. Mr. Luo, if you’re willing to spare just half an hour, I’ll walk you through my entire plan. Then you can decide if it’s worth it.”
Luo Teng didn’t say a word.
Ji Ling took that as a yes and launched into a detailed explanation of his company’s status and future plans. When he finished, he asked, “So, Mr. Luo—what do you think?”
Luo Teng didn’t give a clear answer. His expression was unreadable. All he said was, “You really remind me of an old friend of mine—so full of confidence, so unstoppable at the negotiation table, it made you feel like nothing was impossible for him.”
Ji Ling gave a small smile and said, “Isn’t that a good thing? You, Mr. Luo, should be even better than me. You convinced someone across the table to trust you without backup or support. You once said real growth comes when you’re backed into a corner, that the tougher the situation, the more courage and fire it brings out. You said deals and investments are like making friends—sure, sometimes you misjudge someone, but with the right person, the return is for life.”
Luo Teng’s eyes widened slightly in shock as he stared at Ji Ling.
If the stuff between Luo Tao and Shen Dongqing might have leaked somehow, then this—Luo Teng’s secret talks with the Zong family for financing back then—was something no outsider could’ve possibly known.
He’d had a five-hour, closed-door meeting with Zong Bolin’s father back in the day, when Zong Bolin’s company was his only shot. He would’ve done anything to seal the deal.
What they talked about that day—Luo Teng had never told anyone. Not even his brother.
Except…
He remembered telling Zong Bolin once. Zong Bolin had laughed and said he’d managed to bluff his old man with bravado, like a paper tiger pretending to roar.
Luo Teng’s eyes were filled with disbelief as he asked Ji Ling, “Who are you, really?”
Ji Ling leaned forward and gave a gentle smile.
Seeing an old friend again—how could he not be moved? How could he not feel nostalgic? The moment he laid eyes on Luo Teng, he had to hold himself back from rushing up and hugging him.
But he wasn’t Zong Bolin anymore. He took a deep breath and said seriously, “My name is Ji Ling. It doesn’t matter where I came from or what my past was. What I hope is to become your new partner and friend, Mr. Luo Teng. Would you be willing to give me that chance?”
But Luo Teng wasn’t really listening to his words. His head was spinning with just one thought—‘he looks so much like him, it’s scary!’
Not just the face, but the way he moved, the way he talked, even the attitude—it was all just too similar.
Still, Luo Teng didn’t dare confirm that ‘looks like’ meant ‘is.’ He had been at the funeral himself. So now, all he could do was stare at Ji Ling in stunned confusion.
Ji Ling looked back at him. Luo Teng rarely lost his composure like this—he was probably completely freaked out.
He knew his words were vague and misleading, and that Luo Teng must be feeling confused. But Luo Teng wasn’t stupid. He’d figure it out eventually.
Zong Bolin was gone. He had chosen to live as Ji Ling. He didn’t want to survive off memories—he wanted to rebuild their friendship under a brand new name.
Sure, it was a little sneaky. But he believed in Luo Teng.
Seeing Luo Teng still silent, Ji Ling added, “If you’re not ready to decide yet, how about we keep in touch for a while and see how things go?”
Luo Teng blinked. It was like waking from a dream. In the blink of an eye, he returned to that calm and composed version of himself.
He looked Ji Ling straight in the eye and said, “No. I’ve already decided to invest in your company. Tiansheng Entertainment’s PR department will also join as a technical shareholder. But I want my people on your decision-making team, and they need to have equal say.”
Ji Ling raised an eyebrow.
Old fox. Couldn’t figure him out, so he decided to put a leash on him instead. Luo Teng wanted to work with him while keeping a close eye on him—to see what he was really made of.
But Ji Ling wasn’t scared of Luo Teng. He would show him that he meant every word, that he’d come with all the sincerity in the world to earn his trust and friendship.
“That’s perfectly fine. Then we have a deal.” Ji Ling nodded, serious as ever.
Luo Teng stared at him. His eyes were just as serious, no hint of sarcasm. He said, “I admire you, Mr. Ji. I’ll stay in close contact with you. Since investing is like making friends, I guess that makes us friends now. I hope we work well together from here on out.”
That one line—‘we’re friends now’—lit Ji Ling up inside. Even though Luo Teng was still confused, he had accepted him. The joy he felt was like finding a long-lost treasure.
Unable to hold back, Ji Ling poured a drink and said to Luo Teng, “We’ll definitely have a good time. Cheers!”
Luo Teng chuckled. “If it’s drinking you want, go find Luo Tao. I sent him away, and I bet he’s upstairs right now, pacing like crazy, dying of curiosity.”
Ji Ling laughed. “Then can we call him back now?”
Luo Teng called Luo Tao back down. The moment Luo Tao saw the happy vibe between the two, he knew it was a done deal. Grinning from ear to ear, he said to his brother, “Told you you’d like Brother Ji.”
Luo Teng glanced at his younger brother and replied, “Yeah, yeah, you’re always right.” As he said it, he smiled too—relieved and actually kinda happy.
Then he looked back at Ji Ling, his eyes filled with the same warmth and nostalgia.
He finally ditched his teacup and joined them at the table. The three of them drank, laughed, and talked about everything under the sun. Luo Tao couldn’t believe how his brother, who had been so guarded at first, now seemed totally relaxed and was getting along with Ji Ling like old friends.
But then again, Luo Tao wasn’t one to overthink things. Even if he had a tiny bit of doubt, it flew right out the window. He threw himself headfirst into the booze-fueled fun.
Ji Ling hadn’t been this happy in forever. He ended up drinking a bit too much. The three of them drank all the way into the night, and eventually, they just ordered food to go with the drinks.
By the time night fell, Ji Ling was already kinda drunk.
“Sigh, I used to be able to hold my liquor. But ever since that one time, I just can’t drink like before,” Ji Ling said with a helpless grin. His mind was still clear, but his head was spinning hard—this body clearly couldn’t handle too much alcohol.
Luo Teng chimed in, “Yeah, you used to call yourself a ‘booze scholar’ who never got drunk no matter how much he drank.”
Ji Ling looked at him. He looked back. They both smiled.
Zong Bolin used to brag just like that to Luo Teng, calling himself a modern-day ‘booze scholar’ who could take a thousand shots and still stay sober.
Just drunken nonsense, but Luo Teng had remembered every word.
Ji Ling was so touched, he felt the alcohol hit even harder. Luo Tao, a little worried, asked, “What now? Should I get someone to drive you home?”
But Ji Ling was already tipsy and acting even more boldly. He waved him off like a boss and said, “Nah, don’t worry about me. I’m not going home.”
Luo Tao was stunned and was about to ask more when he saw Ji Ling take out his phone and make a call.
He spoke into the phone in a tone that screamed rich guy energy.
“Hey, Yan Yixuan? I’m crashing at your hotel tonight. Gimme one of your fancy suites.”
Luo Teng and Luo Tao: “…”
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
